1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hydrogen storage alloy and a method of producing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a clean energy source which can substitute for fossil fuel, hydrogen storage alloys which store hydrogen in the form of a metal hydride have been attracting attention. Storage, transfer and release of hydrogen can be effected by use of hydrogenation and dissociation of metal. As such a hydrogen storage alloy, there have been known hydrides of transition metals such as Zr, Ti and the like.
The hydrogen storage alloy repeats expansion and contraction each time it store and release hydrogen, and it is cracked by strain energy generated upon expansion and contraction. Known hydrogen storage alloys are micronized into fine powder of about 15 .mu.m in several times to one hundred times of storage and release. When the hydrogen storage alloy is micronized, the heat conductivity deteriorates and the storage efficiency lowers, and at the same time, micronized alloy powder is disperses through the filter to cause environmental pollution and to adversely affect the equipments. Further, since it is disabled from functioning as a hydrogen storage alloy after a small number of times of storage and release, the cost of hydrogen fuel becomes too high for practical use.
Thus, it has been a great demand for a hydrogen storage alloy having a high resistance to micronization.